Paragliding is a sports in which a wide canopy resembling a parachute is attached to a person's body by a harness in order to allow them to glide through the air after jumping from or being lifted to a height.
Paragliding is different from tarditional sports . Traditional sports refers to athletic activities requiring skills and physical powers. Paragliding involves activities which are unusual, risky and exciting as well, and undertaking in hilly and mountain areas.
Paragliding is an adventure sport. It is fast becoming a popular recreational adventure sport in Pakistan. It's sites are located in Chitral, Birmoghlasht, Express way site, Choa Saidan Shah, Uttul, Pir Chinasi, Rawaal, Rajdhani.
Hindu Kush Association for Paragliding is the first registered civil society organization which promote paragliding in Chitral. Shahzada Siraj ul mulk Worked hard to set up HIKAP.
Chitral offers an ideal location for paragliding lovers. Tourist have been attracted to Chitral for paragliding and are a popular resort. According to the president of Hindu Kush Association for Paragliding the tourist introduce this sports among locals. American Brad Sander is a frequent visitor and an expert pilot in Hindu Kush region, who has set the distance record for flying 224 km from boni to karimabad.
Shahzada Farhad Aziz, a member of Chitral's Royal family ,who died in December 7 crash of Pakistan International Airlines flight PK-661 near Havelian , was himself a local paraglider. Mr. Aziz learnt basics of the paragliding from Austrian visitor and taught them to the youth of Chitral.
The Paragliding fever soon spread across Chitral, as more and more locals started to take interest in the paragliding. After Aziz, Saif ullah jan (peer) received Paragliding training in Islamabad and returned to Chitral to formally start the sport in Chitral.
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Shahzada Farhad Aziz at sunset in Swat Pakistan |
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Sajid Zia landing near Shahi Masjid Chitral |
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Paragliding over Hindu Kush |
The current political situation of Pakistan have discouraged the foreigners from visiting this area due to security concerns. The local pilot get to learn a lot from foreigners, but now they rely on books for training and other stuff.
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The road on the way up...... |